June 16, 2026
On June 15, 2026, the Massachusetts attorney general issued an advisory that puts motor vehicle dealers on notice regarding vehicle price advertising requirements. The advisory reminds dealers that, under Massachusetts law, "non-optional" fees must be included in the advertised price of the vehicle. Such fees include document preparation fees, which is the focus of the advisory. Failure to include non-optional fees in the advertised price is an unfair and deceptive trade practice.
The advisory warns dealers that separately listing the existence or amount of such non-optional fees elsewhere in an advertisement, even if they are prominently disclosed, is not compliant. In addition, because "advertisement" is broadly defined, if a vehicle's Monroney label price differs from the price inclusive of non-optional fees, a separate label must be placed adjacent to the Monroney label with the vehicle's price inclusive of all non-optional fees.
The advisory is effective immediately and includes a notice for consumers to report non-compliant dealers to the AG.